Help on identifying these birds...

[MIfarmgirl]

Hi everyone, I am new to chickens but love the ones we have. We want them for eggs and even for dinner, perhaps, though doing the killing myself is something up to which I will have to work. Heh. I've read a bunch of threads and looked at the pictures everyone has submitted, and I have my guesses. Here's the story.

We bought six chickens from TSC born around March 9 (I know...). Three were supposed to be RIR hens (the two light browns and the black/ brown combo), and the others were supposed to be a gendered mix of Americaunas. Turns out I think one is a rooster (the black and white one because it has wattles growing and the others don't), four are hens, and one is a huge, fat, white don't know the gender chicken, maybe a Cornish, not a RIR? Any help out on what I might have? p.s. The white one the kids call "Fatty" is purple because we had to use Wound Kote a few weeks ago... the others were pecking it.)

Thanks,

Pam

 

[teeville5]

Your BR (black & white one) is a roo. As for the others, for the RIR I'm thinking you have 2 production reds and I don't know what the black/brown one is, but it's not an RIR. I'm also uncertain on your black one. The big white one I would say is a Cornish X.
I'm not an expert, though, so hopefully someone else can chime in on the ones I don't know or am uncertain of.

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
I agree BR Roo

Black looks like Black Australorp

Reds Production reds

Black and Brown I don't know maybe a sex link?

White is a Cornish X

 

[farmerChef]

Quote:
I agree BR Roo

Black looks like Black Australorp

Reds Production reds

Black and Brown I don't know maybe a sex link?

White is a Cornish X

x2, but I think the brown is a welsummer?

That CX will need to be dinner in a few weeks, unless you plan on separating it and not letting it overeat. They can get broken legs or heart problems if not taken care of properly. My freind got a bunch of TSC chicks, and she got a CX too. She didn't know what it was, so I traded her a chick for it, she couldn't kill it. The CX breed is designed to gain meat fast, like 6 weeks fast. They aren't supposed to live more than a few months.

 

[MIfarmgirl]

Thank you for all your info on my chickens!

And I don't mean to be dumb, but what does BR mean in the "BR Roo" mean?

(Dang you TSC...)

Pam

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
I agree BR Roo

Black looks like Black Australorp

Reds Production reds

Black and Brown I don't know maybe a sex link?

White is a Cornish X

x2, but I think the brown is a welsummer?

That CX will need to be dinner in a few weeks, unless you plan on separating it and not letting it overeat. They can get broken legs or heart problems if not taken care of properly. My freind got a bunch of TSC chicks, and she got a CX too. She didn't know what it was, so I traded her a chick for it, she couldn't kill it. The CX breed is designed to gain meat fast, like 6 weeks fast. They aren't supposed to live more than a few months.

I got 3 just before easter CX from TSC they had them listed as bantams when they was tiny a day old they didn't look like CX they looked like Leg horns.

now I have this 3 of them that will have to be processed at the end of June

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
BR = Plymouth Barred Rock , ROO = Rooster

I know I got tricked by them too don't feel bad.

We all get sucked in by chicken math is all.

 

[Justuschicks]

Barred Rock Rooster. I would say the multi colored may be your Ameraucana or Easter egger????? Mine looked like that when she was a chick minus the single comb. I got some red sexlinks from Tractor supply. They receive their chicks from hatcheries so they just post what they were supposed to get....at least that is how ours works in our town.

 

[MIfarmgirl]

FarmerChef,

I suspected The Big One might be the first to go when it began to grow so much faster than the others.... I need to figure out how to butcher and prep my chickens; I don't have a moral objection to it, especially since Fatty has had a good life with us, but I've never butchered an animal before. I'd like to do it humanely. Ugh. Thanks for your advice.

Off to find a local farm from which to buy our next chicks.

Pam

 

[farmerChef]

You could look under the meat bird section.

Wait until you get some hatching eggs and/or a broody....... That is college degree chicken math!!!